Celtic 3 Hibernian 0: Commons a class act, but champagne stays on ice

Every piece of silverware needs some polish to make it sparkle. And, for Celtic, that is a task Kris Commons is ably fulfilling.

The Scotland international has used the run-in towards the formal delivery of the SPL trophy to stage a series of excellent individual displays.

More than anyone else in Neil Lennon’s side, he has added an extra sheen to their collective performances with little moments of glittering skill.

End in sight: Mikael Lustig scores for Celtic

More importantly, Commons does this in a manner which truly influences the game around him.

Saturday’s two-goal haul against a feeble Hibs side was the third successive match in which he has scored, raising his tally for the season to 16. The proximity to the prize seems to be bringing the best out of him.

For nine minutes late on in Saturday’s win, Celtic thought they would be crowned champions there and then.

James McFadden’s goal to earn Motherwell a draw against St Mirren delayed the coronation until at least a week on Saturday, however, with the Parkhead club requiring just one point from their five post-split fixtures to be arithmetically certain of a second successive title.

Before that inevitable party arrives, Celtic have a testing Scottish Cup semi-final against Dundee United to deal with on Sunday.

That is why the treatment on
Commons’ painful left ankle — hurt six days earlier against St Mirren —
was restarted immediately after he had tormented Hibs for 78 minutes.

Lennon knows he can ill-afford to do without the 29-year-old’s creative influence at Hampden.

Commons will not dominate the summer
transfer speculation in the manner of Victor Wanyama or Gary Hooper, but
then his value to Celtic is not measured in terms of a fee.

Commons people: Kris Commons celebrates his goal for Celtic

Over a season when James Forrest has struggled against injury, Commons has been the most regular provider of something different to unlock defences.

His name has rarely been mentioned among contenders for Player of the Year but there is a strengthening case for him to be at least in the frame. Certainly, team-mate Mikael Lustig can see few more talented operators anywhere in the Scottish game.

‘Kris has been really good, especially over the last few games,’ said the Swedish defender.

‘I think everyone knows that when
Kris is in form, he can score with left foot or right foot. He is really
important to us. You need players like Kris and James Forrest, guys who
can take the ball and do something special.

‘Is he underrated? I don’t know about
that. If you train beside him every day, then you can see the quality
he has. His left foot is probably the best in the league.

‘There is not a better player in terms of tricks and stuff like that. He is able to handle the ball and deliver good crosses.

‘I think Kris was injured when I first came here (in January 2012). But I remember he was then wonderful for us when we beat Rangers 3-0 at home towards the end of last season.

‘Since then, he has been a massive player for us. He is also an influence in the dressing room. He is a talkative guy and one of the oldest. When he talks, everyone listens.’

Up for it: Celtic's Victor Wanyama and Hibernian's Kevin Thomson (right) battle for the ball

Questions about Commons’ body shape have followed him throughout his career. Lustig, though, is adamant he does not carry any extra weight that might impede his speed off the mark.

‘It’s like Gary Hooper,’ he said ‘They are really fast players. When you see them in training, they are very quick over a few metres.

The best: Swedish defender Mikael Lustig has said there is not a technically better player than Kris Commons (pictured) in Scotland

‘Of course, they are not the best over 200 metres or anything like that. But we saw in the game how important Kris is.’

In truth, the win over Hibernian was sealed from the moment Commons opened the scoring in the 16th minute.

Not for the last time in a forlorn display, the Easter Road midfield tied itself in knots with little option of a forward pass.

Gary Deegan sold Jorge Claros short and Wanyama pounced to win possession and set Celtic in motion. Hooper fed Commons through the middle of the Hibs defence and he calmly planted a low shot beyond goalkeeper Ben Williams.

The former Derby man was similarly composed seven minutes into the second period.

Wanyama drifted a fine pass into the path of Lustig on the right flank and he found Commons with a near-post cross. A smart turn was all it took to fox his marker before an angled finish found the corner of the net.

For much of the second half, the home fans entertained themselves by passing a huge banner of Craig Whyte dressed as an apocalyptic horseman around the stadium.

It all made for a slightly surreal atmosphere, with the possibility of being confirmed champions taking second place to delight in the re-emergence of the former Rangers owner in his very public dispute with Charles Green.

Lustig provided the other moment of cheer when he completed the scoring in the 61st minute, albeit in a sheepish fashion.

The right-back made a mess of trying to head home a Joe Ledley cross, with the ball cannoning into the net off his hand. The offence was not spotted by referee John Beaton, but Lustig’s lack of celebration amounted to an apology.

Not quite there: Neil Lennon will have to wait for the league title

‘Absolutely,’ he said. ‘I felt the ball go onto my hand, so I did what I did and then it was up to the ref. Sometimes you know you are offside, but you score anyway.

‘I won’t celebrate it if I know it touched my hand but I think it’s then up to the referee. I thought he would disallow it, as it was a clear handball. If the ref had come to ask me, I would have told him it was a handball.’

That goal made no difference to the outcome. Celtic remain on the brink of the title, while Hibs are consigned to the SPL bottom six for another season. Saturday’s meeting only emphasised why both have found themselves in their respective positions.